Wines (24 View)

Organic / Biodynamic

93 points James Suckling
Fine oak spices and cocoa powder to the ripe cherries, cassis, black cherries and warm stones. Full-bodied and polished on the palate with tightly wound tannins that seep through the compact fruit. Good balance between tight structure and fruit density. From organically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but better from 2024.

92 points Wine Spectator
Long and creamy, this elegant red is structured by supple tannins and juicy acidity, a fine frame for the appealing range of baked black cherry, fig cake, mocha and sage. Fresh, spiced finish. Drink now through 2028.

Limited release, artwork by Rosemary Vanns. Lurra is a cider drinker's cider made with bittersweet and bittersharp crab apples and cider apples and undergoing two partial fermenations. Minimal sulfur use, Unfined, Unfiltered. 78 cases. 9% abv

Apples: Herefordshire Redstreak, Kingston Black and Ellis Bitter

Tasting Notes: This cider is lightly carbonated and golden hued with copper highlights. Its aroma is complex and sweet, a delightful blend of fresh and dried apple, apricot, peach compote, and umeboshi plum. The pallet is dry, tannic and mineral-driven, bursting with more stone fruit, lime zest and ending on a crisp and refreshing finish.

Limited release, artwork by Mattis Kun, coloring by Olivia Yi. Made with heirloom apples blended with locally grown grapes. Minimal sulfur use, Unfined, Unfiltered. 103 cases. 9.4% abv

Blend: 51% Northern Spy, Dabinett, Rhode Island Greening Apples and 49% Marquette Grapes

Tasting Notes: Notes of sour cherry and raspberry with a touch of natural effervescence. Sessionable and versatile with food. Enjoy chilled or at cellar temp.

Limited release, artwork by Eniko Katalin Eged. Rustica is a Golden Russet and Roxbury Russet highlight that showcases their ability to create a crisp, complex and balanced cider. Minimal sulfur use, Unfined, Unfiltered. 93 Cases. 8% abv

Apples: 50% Golden Russet and 50% Roxbury Russet

Tasting Notes: Rustica has stunning aromatics with lightly perfumed with a fresh apple scent and a citrusy electricity. It is silky and full on the mid-pallet, acid-driven, and dry with lighter tannins and subtle herbal notes. A refreshing cider, lightly tannic and perfect for pairing with rotisserie chicken and veggies.

Limited release, artwork by Keya Tama. With a name meaning crab Basque, this cider was barrel-aged for 6 months in neutral oak barrels to complement the Manchurian Crab's grippy tannins. Fermentation started spontaneously and then white wine yeast was added to complete the fermentation. Minimal sulfur use, Unfined, Unfiltered. 175 Cases. 8.5% abv

Apples: 60% Manchurian Crab, 30% Brownsnout Crab and 10% Northern Spy

Tasting Notes: Txangurro boasts enticing aromas of ginger, orange zest, and sherry. It has a juicy, apple-forward palate with hints of salted lemon, unexpected minerality and refined tannins. It also has a slight touch of effervescence and textural complexity thanks to a partial malolactic fermentation.

Limited release, artwork by Keya Tama. This Wild Rose tastes like a breeze drifting over a hay field lined with wild berry bushes. It's one of our favorites! Minimal sulfur use, Unfined, Unfiltered. 114 Cases. 6.2% abv

Apples: Redfield, Somerset Redstreak and Tremlett's Bitter

Tasting Notes: This cider boasts a well-rounded mouthfeel and a rich color derived solely from apples. It features extremely smooth yet well-developed tannins, offering a unique textural dimension rarely found in cider. On the palate, you'll experience tart cherry and cream notes, while the nose hints at guava and citrus.

Winemaker Notes:
Ruby red with a gold-tinged rim. Deep, vibrant color. A Complex nose. It retains the ripe red-berry fruit aromas of blackberries, blueberries, and block plums extraordinarily well. Gradually it opens up to reveal smoky, toasted wood nuances, with spices and hints of minerals and tobacco. A Smooth mouth-feel, with sweet, polished tannins. A long, elegant, perfumed finish with final hints of coffee with chocolate.

The 2022 Bourgogne Pinot Noir, which comes from two parcels within Savigny, has a bright red cherry and strawberry bouquet. The palate is piquant on the entry, delivering moderate depth and a tightly wound, very saline finish.

Organic

94 points Vinous
The 2019 Chianti Classico has changed dramatically since I last tasted it, either because of more time in bottle, or because this is a later bottling. In any event, the 2019 is dense, ample and resonant in feel. Readers will find a serious, texturally intense Chianti Classico that delivers the goods, big time.

97 points James Suckling
Very perfumed with flowers and sandalwood. Medium- to full-bodied with very fine tannins that are so long and intense. This will compete with top Brunellos. Linear and driven at the end. From organically grown grapes. Best after 2026.

92 points Wine Advocate
Opening to medium-dark concentration, the organic Castello di Bossi 2020 Chianti Classico Riserva Berardo offers a velvet-like texture with substantial aromas of dark plum and sweet cherry and moderate tones of earth and spice that are expertly woven within the wine's fine texture. This Riserva offers good tannic structure with fine, powdery sensations to close.

94 points Wine Advocate
The 2022 La Salvación is quite tight, serious and a little closed. It's riper and rounder than the 2021, with 13.5% alcohol but keeping the freshness and acidity, with pH of 3.09 and 7.35 grams of acidity. It's juicy and tender, with a chalky sensation in the finish. This is round and very approachable. 7,936 bottles were filled in August 2023, after the wine spent 12 months in 500-liter French oak barrels.

A star is rising in Bierzo! César Marquez Pérez hails from a family with deep roots in the Bierzo wine region. Historical deeds in the town of Valtuille de Abajo date the ancestral origin of the family in this region to 1752. Cesar’s focus is mainly on micro-vinifications of old-vine Godello and Mencía from parajes (small plots). These parajes yield widely differing characteristics depending on their soil composition (mixtures of sand, clay, decomposed granite and stone) and the orientation and slope of the vineyards. Ultimately, Cesar envisions making single-parcel vinifications and is laying the foundation to map this region in a manner parallel to the Cru appellations of the world.

Tied for Third Place in PJ Wine's - Wine of the Year 2021 blind taste-off.

Organic. The composition is 60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is marked by a vibrant ruby/garnet color married to a richly spicy nose with hints of tobacco and coffee in the background; the flavors are dominated by red currant, cassis, and raspberry; the texture is silky and the wine is smooth and generous on the palate; the subtle tannins have grip but are graceful making this wine particularly welcoming over the near term.
The Pueyos follow traditional vinification techniques. After a 3 day cold maceration, fermentation takes place in both cement tanks and stainless steel tanks. Either way, temperatures are closely monitored so the fermentation proceeds at a controlled pace with maximum temperatures reaching 28 degrees Celsius. The “cuvaison” (fermentation + maceration) usually lasts between 15 and 20 days. Closely monitoring the temperature during fermentation helps avoid extracting the harsher, more bitter tannins that can appear if the temperature gets too high. Half of the wine is aged in barrels for 18 months following fermentation. Only 25% new barrels and 25% one-year-old barrels are used each year, to avoid overwhelming the fruit. The second part of the cuvée is aged in cement tanks. The two parts of the wine are ultimately blended, then fined with egg whites before bottling.

This Bordeaux blanc is definitely past its prime but wine drinkers with an interest and enthusiasm for whites with age may find it enjoyable. The wine has turned golden in color and has a mild nose of burnt caramel. The palate coats and is textural with nuttiness and more caramel. It finishes like a dry sherry. It might be good with aged Gouda. With this forewarning we will only sell the bottle on a no return basis.

Organic

92 points Wine Advocate
A terrific vintage for this wine, which was bottled just a couple of weeks prior to my late June visit, the 2021 Cotes du Rhone Coudoulet de Beaucastel is a blend of 30% each Grenache, Mourvdre and Syrah, plus 10% Cinsault. From a vineyard just outside the boundaries of the appellation of Chteauneuf-du-Pape, it's a remarkably consistent wine and always a solid value. Scents of sunbaked stones, black cherries and licorice appear on the nose, joined by hints of purple raspberries and dark chocolate, while the medium to full-bodied palate is lush and velvety, finishing long and complex.

92 points James Suckling
Very attractive red cherry fruit fills out the medium-bodied palate where the fine tannins underline this very well. Impressive length with plenty of licorice and a touch of candied citrus at the long, crisp and emphatically dry finish. A cuvee based on grenache and mourvedre. From organically grown grapes. Drink from release.

Organic / Biodynamic

Château de Chaintres produces this cuvée from one of their best and oldest parcels: a 1940 planting (hence the name: the year of plantation in Roman numerals) of Cabernet Franc in the heart of the clos. Aged in a single 20-hectoliter tronconic oak cask for two winters, “MCMXL” offers intensely concentrated, sappy fruit, penetrating and finely chiseled minerality, and a firmer structure than the other Saumur-Champigny wines in the lineup.

Organic / Biodynamic

93 points James Suckling
Blackberries, cherries, sesame and salted-chocolate notes. Peach stones, too. It’s medium-bodied with silky, creamy tannins. So juicy and pure.

91 points Vinous
The 2019 Les Plantes is the new, young vines wine from Durfort Vivens. It offers notable depth to match its creamy, succulent personality. Drink this over the next few years, while the dark fruit remains vibrant. There is so much character here. AG

Jancis Robinson
The 2019 vintage sees the introduction of three new bottlings at Durfort Vivens. This one is formed from young vines (les plantes in French), and majors on soft supple tannins, plenty of vivacity. The highest in acidity of the three new bottlings, with an emphasis on savoury fruits and floral character. Highest in Cabernet Sauvignon also, reflecting the variety that is going in the ground here - they have taken the decision not to plant any more Merlot. Aged in a mix of barrels and amphoras.this over the next few years, while the dark fruit remains vibrant. There is so much character here. 88% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot and 2% cabernet franc. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Delicious now.

Wine critic William Kelley of The Wine Advocate, " Anyone who isn’t aware of just how good Gonzague Lurton’s wines are these days should taste a bottle.

The 62-hectare estate, of which some 55 hectares are planted, has been directed by Gonzague Lurton since 1992 and farmed biodynamically since 2013. Soils are quaternary gravels, with a rather low percentage of clay when compared with the likes of Châteaux Margaux and Palmer, and Cabernet Sauvignon dominates the blend, delivering wines of perfume, intensity and concentration. Lurton finds that physiological maturity and analytical maturity are much more synchronized with the new farming methods, even if in a vintage such as 2018 he's suffered, producing a mere 6,000 bottles. Recent vintages have certainly been on a qualitative roll, and today Durfort Vivens (the winery's premier bottling) unquestionably lives up to its 1855 second growth status. Given the quality of the brilliant 2019, prices remain decidedly reasonable, and readers should take notice."

Chateau Durfort Vivens is no newcomer to Bordeaux, they have been around since the 1700s in one form or another. It is rumored that a bottle of Chateau Durfort Vivens in 1844 would have cost more than any other Margaux, other than Chateau Margaux itself. Also, America’s first wine connoisseur Thomas Jefferson ranked it just behind Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Latour, and Chateau Margaux in his famous travel diaries. During the 1855 classification, Chateau Durfort Vivens was ranked a second growth of Margaux. Today I am sure the wines taste differently, however, this does show the pedigree and history of these vineyards.

Today the winery is owned by the renowned Lurton family. In 2009 they experimented with organic farming, loved the results, and fully converted all their vineyards to organic and biodynamic viticulture by 2013. They then received their Demeter certification making Chateau Durfort Vivens the first classified growth in Margaux to be fully certified 100% biodynamic.

Organic

This complex and truly unique sparkling wine is crafted from 100% organically grown Fiano from Campania, Italy. This high elevation estate has both limestone and volcanic soil which provides amazing complexity to their wines. It is medium-bodied, bright with a salty minerality that is captivating. The grapes are pressed slowly, then fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless tanks. Then aged for three years in bottle on lees before disgorgement.

Aromas of black cherry, pomegranate and blackberry - very complex - with hints of blood orange, licorice and spice. The palate is dense and deep showing the Moulin-a-Vent side of Fleurie, with juicy black fruits backed with firm acidity and mineral flavors. The finish is long with sappy fruit liqueur and earthy acidity.

Organic

A terrific Sancerre alternative. This is a very mineral driven Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley.

Winery Notes:
"Stashing Pinot Noir in brandy barrels creates a lush mouthfeel, with salted caramel and delicious baking spices flavors. Each taste of this California Pinot Noir gives way to aromatic hints of cherry, cardamom and spiced apple. This red wine garners its unique taste thanks to Pinot Noir grapes found all across California's prime winegrowing regions. By blending a portion of Pinot Noir that’s been aged in brandy barrels, we produce a complex, smooth and rounded wine. Stack this flavorful, bold California wine up against steak or poultry, or enjoy on its own as a new sort of night cap. For a devilishly good taste, chill this Pinot Noir for 20 minutes prior to serving."

Organic / Biodynamic / Natural / Orange Wine

From vines around 70-80 years old planted to four hectares of clay, stony and calcareous soils, the grapes are hand-harvested at the end of September with intense sorting. Maceration lasts a minimum of 12 weeks wiht 50% whole-cluster and the rest de-stemmed. Spontaneous fermentation takes place in clay amphorae (300-3500L), using indigenous yeasts, between 4-6 weeks without temperature control. The wine rests on lees for three months with stirring once a day in the beginning and then once a week. Aged for four months in clay amphora. Unfined and unfiltered.

Costador Terroirs works only using organic and biodynamic practices, on a singular mountain where there are very old vineyard (someone of them certified). The vineyards are very old, the major part between 60 to 110 year, spanning different “terroirs” (slate, clay and limestone) at altitudes between 400 to 800 meters. With the high contrast of temperatures, the grapes can mature for long periods allowing the preservation of freshness and acidity. The temperatures are always controlled throughout the entire process, from the moment we pick up the grape to fermentation and aging. The estate strives to preserve the authentic flavor and taste of the varietals, only using wild and autochthonous yeasts for fermentation. The major part of the fermentation s don amphora or stainless steel tanks, along wit used French and acacia oak barrels. Aging is done in amphorae and used oak as well. The estate allows a genuine wine to develop from it's place of origin. The estate works with autochthonous Catalan varieties of grape: Reds - Grenache, Carignan, Sumoll Negre, and Trepat. Whites - Macabeu, Xarel-lo, Sumoll lanc, Parellada and Grenache Blanc. The estate's strictly holds to organic and biodynamic practices from vineyard to aging.

Organic / Natural